Airship.



P. SIFPBRMAN.

AIRSHIP. A'PPLIOATION FILED OCT. 8, 1912.

Patented Oct. 28, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. SIFFERMAN.

AIRSHIP.

1 5 n I v APPLIUATI ON FILED OUT. 8, 1912. 3. 6? AUQQE.

Patented 0ct.28, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

P. SIFPERMAN. AIRSHIP.

APPLICATION FILED 00128, 1912,

1,077,004. Patented 00t.28,1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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F. SIFFERMAN. AIBSHIP. APPLICATION FILED OUT. 8, m2

1,077,004- Patented; 0st. 28, 1913.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4. V

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FREDERICK 0F SS U'IH BETRLEHEEE, PENNSYLVANIA.

Be it known that I, Fri-canton SIFFER- imsga citizen of the United Statesresid Northampton and State 111g at South Bethlehem, in the county of of Pennsylvania, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Airships, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to-airships, and its mainobjeot is to obviate the use of support ing planes or balloons and to provide a construction wherein as to enable its. altitude to be varied.

A further ob1ect-ofthe invention is to provide a construction and arrangement of propellers whereby a ,gyroscopic action is established to maintain stability.

A still further object of 'the invention is to provide means cooperating with the propellers to support the ship and increase the sustalnmg action of the propellers, as well as to serve as a uirachute to control the speed of descent o the ship.

. a still furtherobject of the invention to provide a compacttype ofairshi-p which will develop great lifting power and speed.

' With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the features of conarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed,

reference being had to the'accompanying drawings, in "which Figure 1 is a slide elevation, partly in sec 1 tion, of an airship embodying'my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan View of t-heairshi p.- Fig. at is a vert-icalsectiion' along the longitudinal axis of the ship. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section on line 55,of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 iso detail View of one of the rotary cylinders. Fig. 7 is a detail View of one of the spiral blades thereon. i

The body or frame of my improved airship comprises front and rear cylindrical body sections 1 and 2, the former having a suitably tapered or streamline'bow 3, said sections 1 and :2 including rings or .bands at and 5, respectively from which extend series of arms 6 and 7, intermediate which is a third series of arms 8. The respective series of arms 6, 7 and 8 extend on a semicircle upwardly from horizontal lines at the op-" posits sides ofthe body and support a sustaining surface '9, which is correspondingly tipecificatitm of Letters Patent.

. Application filed Gctcber 8, 1912. serial No. 724,533.

rotary propellers operate both to support and propel the ship, as well iiIBSHI-JR.

Patented Got. 28, 1 913.

shaped and is composed of a frame stru rture covered with fabric or other suitable material. The body .sec'ion 1 forms a car or cabin 'inwhich the aviators seat 10. driving motor 11 and the. steering and controlling devices are arranged, and between this section 1 and the rear section 2 and completing th formation of the body structure are front and rear rota-r cylinders. 12 and 13. In general each of the said sections of the frame consists of a 15 and an interconnecting series-of braces 16 which vmay be of any preferred construction,1 together with a fabric or other cover- 111 6 llxtending longitudinally through the body in line witlrits axis is a main driving shaft 17 which is journaled in suitable an= tifriction bearings 18 carried by the front and rear body sections and the central set of frame arms The-front rotary cylinder 12 is secured ,to a hollow shaft 19 which turns upon anti-friction bearings 20 interposed between the same and-the she-HA7, to which shaft 17 the ,rearrotary cylinder- 13 is fixed for rotation therewith. The two cylinders 1:2 and 13 carry annular series of spiral propellerblades 21 and 22 which are adaptd'to exert both a lifting and propelling action on the air, and to iorce the air against the sustaining surface 9 to augment the sus taining action and lifting capacity of the shi The two propeller cylinders rotate at uniform speeds in opposite directions and thus tend by their gyroscopic action to maintain a fixed direction of flight and to thus constantly keep the ship in a state of poise or equilibrium. "lhroughthe medium of the cylinders 12 and 13 and their propeller blades 21 and 22, the ship'may be launched directly from the ground and its speed of descent regulated. In the event of danger, however, such as caused by the stoppage of the motor or fall of the machine from any othercause, the surface 9 will perform the function of a parachute to regulatc'its speed of descent and enable the aviatorito regain control. As shown, the surface 9 is curved ,fore andaft to a desired degree. and of sernicircular form transversely, adapting it to face and a safety parachute.

central hub 14,- a rim i serve both the function ofa supporting sui In" the operation .of each Saar ma e' mt e e a forced usf lr y hee pel r is com u es- CAI,

compressed against the sustaining surface i then discharging in lateral direction, counteracting air pressures from the two of propellers tends to maintain lateral equilibrium.

The forward end of theshaft 17 supports a. hollow she 23 which turns in contact with anti-friction bearings 23 and carries a driving propeller Fixed respectively to said shaft 17 and the shaft 1.9 are beyeled gears ill and 25 which receive motion from a gear 26 driven from the motor 11, whereby the shaft 17 and propeller cylinderlg are rotated in one direction, while the propeller cylinder 1% is rotated at a like speed in the opposite direction. Fixed to the shaft 23 is a beveled gear 24 meshing with a similar gear E26 driven from the motor 11, whereby the propeller 9.3 is driven, the gearing being such as to revolve the said propeller. 23 at a h" her rate of speed than the propellers 12 ans 13.: To the rear body section. 1'3 is hinged or pivoted a vertical rudder 27, which is operated by cords or other suit-able connections 28 from a control c evice 29 in the caror cabin. Horizontal rudders 30 are mounted upon shafts 31. extending through and journaled in the lower horizontal arms 6, which are made hollow for the purpose and said shafts are coupled attheir inner ends and provided with oppositely extending crank arms 32 and 33 connected by ropes or cables 34 with a control device 35 intne car or, cabin. The vertical and horizontal rudders may, therefore, be conveniently adjusted to respectively steer the ship horizontally. and verti-,.

rally, while'thehorizontal rudders may also be adjusted to maintain longitudinal equi-. librium. The front and rear sections have suitable brackets 36 and 37 depending therei from and supporting front and rear sets of cushioned Wheels 38 and 39,, whereby the ship may be supported upon the ground and] lamiched and landed 'without excessive shocks 0 jars. As shown, the shaft 17 is hollow and forms a conductor for the feed' of fuel from a supply tank 0, h0nsed in the cylindrical section 2, to pipe 41 leadin to the motor 11 which pipe ll is provided" with a controlling valve 42. v

From the foregoing description, it will be, seen that my invention provides an airship which combines principles of the aeroplane and helicopter, but in which the helicopter screws are horizontally disposed and form a part of the body of the machine and in which said screws rotate in vertical planes and force the displaced thereby against the sustaining surface 9,"so as to increase the lifting capacity of the Slllp.

'Other advantages of the invention will be apparent from the foregoing description.

1. A. flying machine including a body formed of front and rear stationary sections and a pair of intervening rotary cylinders, a shaft extending longitudinall throu h the body and to which one of sai cylin ers is fixed, a second shaft journa'led on the first named shaft and carryin the other cylinder, propeller blades upon therespective cylinders, a driving propeller act ated by the first named shaft, means for oppositely rotating the shafts, arms extendingfrom the body, and an arched sustaining surface arsai arms.

2.'A flying machine comprising an elem-- gated hollow body, lncluding front and rear ran ed above the body and supported by p stationary sections and a. pair of intervening rotary clinders, a shaft extending longitudinally t rough the bodyfand to which one of said cylindeis is fixed, a second shaft journaled on the first named shaft "and carryi another cylinder, at third; shaft journalh d on .thefirst named-shaft and carrying a drivingpropeller, a motor, gearin rbetween the motorandtwo first named s "afts which one-of said cylinders is fixed, a second shaft journaled on the first named shaft and carrying the other cylinder, propeller blades uponthe rotary cylinders, a driving propelle'guat the forward end of the body, a tlnrfdo shaft journaled on the first named and carrying said propeller, a motor driven means within the front sectionof the body for drivingthe third shaft and for rota ing the two firstn'amed shafts in opposite direo tions,'arms extending from the body, and an arched sustaining surface arranged above the body and supported by said arms.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature v in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK SIFF-ERMAN.

Witnesses AnmsoN SEIPLE, J ACOB E. MILLER. 

